New Year, New Resolutions…7 Steps to Creating Goals You will Achieve in 2017
The New Year is often a time for reflection and creating resolutions to become an improved, healthier, happier, more successful you. To set yourself up for success, follow the 7 steps below and create goals that are S.M.A.R.T.- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based; then, Evaluate and Re-do.
1. Specific. Create well-defined, focused and clear goals. Consider who is involved in achieving your goal, what you are trying to accomplish, where you will accomplish it, whenyou will do this and how it will get done.
2. Measurable. Quantify your goals to help you track your progress and determine when you have accomplished them. Depending upon your goals, a measure might include a defined quality, quantity, and/or cost.
3. Attainable. When your goal is too far out of reach and/or you need to rely primarily on others to attain it, you are setting yourself up for defeat. Consider your current status and the availability of your resources, knowledge, finances, and time. Can you realistically commit to your goal? Is your goal within your capabilities?
4. Relevant. Consider the reason(s) why you are setting this goal. How will achieving your goal improve your life? What will happen if you don’t accomplish your goal? Creating goals that are important to you and reminding yourself of the reasons you are working towards your goals will help keep you on track when the going gets tough and distractions arise.
5. Time-based. You are more likely to achieve goals with a clear time frame than those that are open-ended. What is your target date for achieving your goal? What is your goal for this week? It is useful to set up shorter-term weekly goals to reach a long term goal; and it is helpful to define what you should achieve each month for your long term goal.
6. Evaluate. At the end of the specified time period, evaluate your progress. Have you accomplished your goal? If not, is the goal still relevant and important? What barriers got in the way?
7. Re-do. If your goal is still important, re-create an action plan to address any unforeseen barriers to achieving your goal. Was the time frame unrealistic? Do you need to create smaller goals to help you achieve your big goal? Review your goal to see if there are any additional tweaks you can make to make it S.M.A.R.T.E.R!
Examples:
Goal: I want to become healthier—> SMART Goal: I will increase my exercise and activity level by walking 3x/wk at the gym or high school track for 45min after work.
Goal: I want to manage my stress better—> SMART Goal: I will wake up 5 minutes earlier and begin each day with a 5-minute mindful breathing exercise.
Goal: I want to improve my performance at work–> SMART Goal: I want to improve my use of powerpoint (based on my last performance review) and will take the next powerpoint course offered this month to reduce the time it takes me to create presentations by 30% before my next quarterly review.
What are your S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Goals for this month?
